Illuminated sign.



PATENTED DEC. 17, 19U7. J. CHESTER.

ILLUMINATED SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.20, 1906.

WITNESSES.

UNITED STATES PA/TENT OFFICE.

JAMES CHESTER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

- ILLUIQNATED SIGN.

- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 20. 1906. Serial No. 844,242.

Patented Dec. 17, 1907.

' which prevents the letters from being dis cernible only at short distances.

It is desired to produce a sign which can be read at long distances.

It also has for its object to produce a sign whereby the light will be evenly distributed in connection with each letter or wherein'a few and yet powerful lamps, electric or otherwise, may be used to produce the light for illuminating the sign and yet which will be evenly distributed. By thls means a greater efficiency will be produced and a greater economy will be accomplished in giving clearness to the letters.

By my invention I am enabled to use but a few lamps and yet produce a very efficient sign.

The invention consists in providing a reflector letter placed in front of a reflector surface.

The invention consists of a sign wherein the background is illuminated;

The invention consists in an illuminated sign wherein the background is illuminated while the letters though non-illuminated refleet the light to the background.

The invention consists in producing a sign wherein the back of the letters are glazed or enameled and the background of the sign is glazed or enameled and the front of the ,let-

ters is black whereby the letters will be clearly distinguishable in the da time and whereby the'light will be evenly 'stributed in the nighttime. I

The invention also consists in other features set forth in the following description of my invention, shown in the drawings and claimed in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is an illustration of the front view of the sign. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional-view takenialong the line 2, 2 indicated in Fig. 1. horizontal sectional view of a portion of the letterB taken along the line 3, 3 indicated Fig. 3 is a in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a closed letter to be usedin connection with gas lights and is. a sectional view of such a letter. Fig. 5 is a modification of my invention and consists of a sectional view of the letter I. Fig. 6 isa horizontal sectional view of the letter shown in Fig. 5. Fig. '7 is another modification of 'my invention wherein the background is of substantially the same shape as the letter. Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 8, 8 indicated in Fig. 7.

I shall now describe my invention more in detail. I have shown the preferred form of my i'nvention'in the drawing but it is to be.

understood that the details that I am about to describe may be varied within the scope of the appended claims by those skilled in the art without in any way modifying the spirit of the invention. 1' in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5 indicates the background of the-sign. The front surface 2 of the background is made so that it will reflect light. It may be painted white but it is preferably made of white ehamel or covered with other glazing material. In the form of invention 1 have shown, the surface is covered, with white enamel. The shape of the so fl backgroundis such that its cross section'is parabolic, so that the reatest reflective power can be obtained rom the reflector background 2 and so that the rays of light will be seen from the greatest distan'ce. The back round may be sup orted in any of the well own ways in which signs are supported.

The letters are su orted in front of the reflector surface 2. T ey may be supported in any convenient way so that the le ter 1s somewhat remote from the background and so that the lamps which illuminate the sign may be laced in the foci of the reflector'surface. T he means that I have shown for supporting the letters consists of a air of rods 3, 4 located near the top and the ottom of the background of the swn. The rods are supported at their ends by brackets 5, 6, 7 and '8. The brackets are attached to the reflector background 1 by means of rivets or modify the sign daily.

against ,the rods. The tongues of the cli s Wlll separate and the clips will thus readi y seize and hold the rods thereby securing the letter to the sign. The lettercan be easily removed by simply separatingl the tongues and pulling the letter off. T larly valuable in connection with signs used for bulletins or wherein it is desired to The curvature of the letters and the rearward extension of the letters so that the letters extend more or less around the source of.

preferably made of white. enamel. It may be painted white or it may be made of any glazed material or it may be made of any material which will produce the most eflective tached to'the letter.

results as a reflector. On the inner surface 13 of the letter there ar'mounted one or more lamps.

. The lamps may be of any character desired. In Figs. 2, 3, 5 and 6 I have illustratedelectric lamps and in Fig. 4 I have illustrated a gas mantle lamp. In the form illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5 the lamp 14 is supported on the bracket 15 which is at- Electric wires 16 and 17 lead from the lamp 14. wires 16 and 17 may lead to a cable. In the form of invention that I have shown the connecting wires 16 and 17 are connected to the clips 9 and 10 which are located at the top and the bottom of the letter. The rods 3 and 4 are connected to the main line through the supports 5 and 6 which may be insulated from the reflector surface 1. The electric current then passes through the supports 5 and 7 and tothe rods 3 and'4 thence to the clips 9 'and 10 and to the lamp 14. The lamp 14 is located with respect to the reflector 2 so as to obtain the best results.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 4 the body of the letter is inclosed by-means of a' glass plate 18 which is located on the back of the letter. A pipe 19 passes through the reflector 1 and into the inclosed space of the letter. The pipe is connected with a mantle burner 20. The glass prevents the gas ligfitfrom being blown out and moreover the w 'te enamel reflector reflects the white light coming fromthe mantle with great effectiveness.

In Fig. 5 I have shown another modification wherein the letter is provided with sides located at right angles to the body of'the letways wellknown in the. art.

If it is desired theter. I have shown a sectional view of the letter I having the body 21 and the sides 22,

23 which are located at right angles thereto.

The sides 22 and 23 prevent diffraction of the light about the edge of the front of the letter and operate to throw the light upon the reflector behind the letter. This prevents diffracted light from passing to the front of the letter which would otherwise produce diffusion of light in front of the letter. The interior of the surface24 of the letter is enameled as in the other cases and the exterior surface 25 is also blackened.

' In Figs. 7 and 8 is shown another modification of my invention wherein the reflector or background 26 is of the same shape as the letter 27. .This form of the invention is especially advantageous when very large or enormous signs are to be used. The background 26 may be supported in any of the is attached to the background of the letter by means of rods 28 and 29 or in any other suitable way. The letter 27 is made in the form of a reflector and its inner surface may be enameled or glazed so as to increase its power as a reflector while the exterior or front of the letter may be painted black. The ,background of the letter is also made in the form of a reflector and operates to reflect the light forward, that is, in front of the letter; Electric lamps 30 and 31 are provided which are located between the two reflectors and in close proximity tow the letter 27. The background 26 operatesto throw the light forward and diffuse it. This arrangement causesthe letter 27 to appear dark with a rim of bright light surrounding the black letter 26.

The description given above is merely that of a particular construction shown which embodies my invention but this particular construction can be varied Within the scope of the appended claims without in any way avoiding the essence of what I consider to be my invention.

I What I claim is new and desire to secure The letter 27 the effect of an illuminated surface having thereon black letters.

2. In an illuminated sign the combination of a background, a light producing means,

one or more letters or symbols located in front of the said light producing means, the

said letters or symbdls having means for preventing diffracted light from passing to the front of the said letters.

3. In an illuminated sign the combination of a background, one or more letters or symbols, a light producing means-locatedin the rear of said letters and means whereby the rays of light may be reflected from the said letters to the said back round and from the said background to the eholder of the sign.

I 4. In an illuminated sign the combination of a reflector background, one or more letters or symbols, a light producing means located behind the said letters or symbols, the said letters or symbols having on their rear faces reflector surfaces adapted to reflect the light to the said reflector background and con- .toured to prevent the diflt'ractional diffusion of the lightin front of the letters.

5. In anillumin'ated sign the combination of a reflector background, alight producing means, one or more letters or symbols, the said letters or symbols having reflector sur- 7 faces, the said light producing means being located in the vicinity of and in the rear of said letters or symbols, the said letters having means to prevent the light from being .dif-

fractionally diffused in front of the letters.

6. In an illuminated sign the combination vof abackground, a light producing means,

one or more letters or symbols, the said light with an external circult.

7. In an illuminated sign the combination of one or more letters or symbols, a reflector background located at some distance in the rear ofthe said letters or symbols and in full 85 view of the beholder of the sign, a light producing means located in roximity to the surface of the said letters or symbols and between the said symbols or letters and the said background. V

8. In an illuminated sign the combination of one or more letters or symbols, a reflector background, a light producing means, the said letters or symbols having means to direct the said light to the rear of the said lettersbr symbols and the said reflector back ground being adapted to direct the light forward so that the rays of the said light will pass by and on the outside of the said letters.

9. In an illuminated sign the combination of one or more letters or symbols having concave surfaces located on the rear thereof, a reflector background having a concave surface located on the front thereof and in full view of the beholder of the sign, a light producing means located in the concavity of each of said letters or symbols.

10. In an illuminated sign the combination of one or more letters or symbols having concave surfaces located on the rear thereof, a background, and a light producing means located in the concavity of each of-said letters or symbols. a

-In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of. two subscribing witnesses,

JAMES CHESTER.

V. N. FELL. 

